SUCCESS!!! AMPUTEE CYCLING CLINIC 4/11/2021

DC Cycling Clinic – April 11, 2021- Rock Creek Park, Silver City, MD

 “Every accomplishment begins with the word TRY”.  Author unknown

The rain tried to dampen our spirits Sunday at Rock Creek, but as I got out of the car, I watched the clouds start to part. Then the sun came out and truly shined on all that was there. Rock Creek Park is located in the beautiful area of Silver Spring, just outside DC. After a very successful first event last year, Katie Savage got to work and planned for this year’s outing. Katie is an above the knee amputee and cyclist. Both Rebecca Frost, CPO and I jumped in again this year to help Katie organize and set up. So many volunteers converged on this beautiful park to join with the 30 participants. Registration for the free event filled so quickly that a call for additional volunteers went out early!

Participants with all levels of limb difference made a self-commitment to “TRY” something new by coming to this event. Due to continuing COVID-19 restrictions, all were masked. The opening ceremony started with each participant sharing their limb loss story and what motivated each of them to become greater. These stories moved all to tears in the crowd. It certainly makes me take inventory of what and who is in my life, and how truly lucky we all are. Everett Lott, Interim Director of Transportation for DC, made the declaration that, “April is officially Limb Loss Recognition Month.” Mr. Lott speak to each participant after listening to all the introductions. Annually, the Amputee Coalition promotes April as Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, with activities focused on advocacy in DC, education events, Show Your Mettle Day (prosthesis wearers post pictures of themselves in their prostheses) and participation events held all over the country for those with limb loss and limb difference.

Next came the pairing of the participants with Physical Therapy volunteers, PT interns and cycling specialists who were there to provide one on one support. They went over the type of bike each attendee had requested on their registration form. During the event, participants had the opportunity to ride several types of bikes; there were stationary bikes, recumbent bikes, and the traditional mountain bike. Trek of Rockville provided the bikes, helmets and beautiful swag bags to each participant. The other vendors that came participated in the event by sharing their company information, as well as great gifts and snacks for all. I had prepared some goody snack bags from Dankmeyer!

The sunshine and warmth filled our afternoon. You were able to see everyone trying their bikes, and hear all the sounds of laughter and cheering for each other as they rode.  In those moments, each one knew they had conquered their fears and doubts. Each participate accomplished their goals by trying! For myself, I tried a mountain bike and was able to ride on some of the trails in the park.

Events like these are very hard to put together and plan. The weather tried to cancel our day but the sun won out on that! We had a breeze and the balloons looked like they could carry us away. There were a few little glitzes, but we are learning and evolving as we grow. Katie’s bravery and committment to organize and execute these two events has produced amazing results. Last year there were 13 riders. This year we had to cut off the number at 30. The participants all had an amazing time. We are already planning for next year’s event and hopefully the weather will be kind to us again, and maybe we won’t have to be masked!

• Dawn Miranda, Dankmeyer, Inc. (devoted to patient advocacy and proud supporter of this event!)

NEW AMPUTEE CYCLING CLINIC 4/11/2021

Plan now to join us on Sunday April 11, 2021 when we will have the opportunity to participate once again in a local amputee cycling clinic in DC. The event is the second event organized by Katie Savage, a young woman with an above knee amputation who found a sense of mobility and liberation when learning to ride a bike. The first event was held In October of 2020. Now it is time for a second event! With the support from local bike shops in the DC area, this is a 100% free opportunity for other people with amputations to safely explore their interest in biking for exercise and mobility, in hopes of benefitting their physical and mental health.

When: Sunday, April 11, 2021

Where: Behind Rock Creek Park Tennis Center

4850 Colorado Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011

Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am. Registration begins at 8:30am. Participants must register in advance. While free, space is limited. Your safety is important. If you don’t have a bike, please register before 3/5 so you can reserve one. Participants must wear a mask and social distancing measures will be in effect. Please contact 202-827-6647 or email amputeecyclingdc@gmail.com to sign up or ask questions.

• Bring your own bike, or try a bike!

• Spend one-on-one time with a local bike expert, prosthetist, or physical therapist discovering and working on your goals, improving your cycling skills, getting tips and/or adjustments.

• Learn about road safety and how to adapt to cycling as an amputee!

• Explore different prosthetic technologies that are available for biking!

• This event is open for ALL amputees of ALL gages! No experience is necessary!

Last time, Dankmeyer’s Rebecca (Becca) Frost, CP and Dawn Miranda, Prosthetist Assistant, attended the event. Becca is very active in a full range of adaptive sports, and Dawn was anxious to refine her cycling skills. Dawn joined twelve other persons with amputations and each was paired with an experienced cyclist, physical therapist, and prosthetist. Many learned to ride an upright bike for the first time! Others had the opportunity to try recumbent bikes when stand up bikes proved to be too challenging to ride without assistance. A few were experienced riders and were able to improve their riding with the expertise and innovation of local volunteers, while also providing their own valuable experience and technique to newer cyclists. 

This very successful first time event was managed on a beautiful Sunday, with a large, airy, outdoor meeting space, mask-wearing, and social distancing. People of all ages, abilities, experience levels, and amputation levels were brought together as a community of people with one common goal- MOBILITY FOR ALL! LET’S DO IT AGAIN!

Dankmeyer Family Supports the Maryland Food Bank and Toys for Tots

The holiday season is well upon us.  Perhaps this year more than ever, the staff at Dankmeyer takes a moment to pause and thank everyone for their support of each other over these challenging months.  We want to build on that momentum and use these next few months as a way for our efforts to expand beyond the walls of our office and our patient care.  Along those lines, our office team is participating in two different activities through the end of the year.

1)      Food Drive in support of the Maryland Food Bank:  Food scarcity has become real to even more of our neighbors due to the pandemic’s changes in the economy.  We are collecting canned goods and non-perishable food items for the Maryland Food Bank.  Boxes are set up at each office location. We will do our first drop-off before Thanksgiving and then continue to collect food through Christmas for a second drop off.  

2)      Toys for Tots: Many families are already worrying about gifts for their children during the holidays.  Toys for Tots collects toys for children in need, and then delivers them across the country.  This year, they are not only having a drive to drop off toys, but they are also holding a virtual drive with a virtual drop-off box!  Specific information regarding the virtual toy drive and how to participate  can be found here. 

Thank you to Marlies Beerli-Cabell, CPO, and her family for spicing up and decorating boxes for the Linthicum office! 

Marlies herself started volunteering on behalf of the Maryland Food Bank in September as part of a program called the Middle Mile. She registered to pick up food from restaurants, retailers, hotels and caterers to bring to a nearby food pantry, pantry or soup kitchen. If you want more information, you can see Marlies’ post on her Facebook page by clicking here. Marlies is going the extra mile!

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DANKMEYER - AMPUTEE CYCLING EVENT

On Sunday October 4th, 2020 Dankmeyer had the opportunity to participate in a local cycling event in DC. The event was organized by a young woman with an above knee amputation who recently found a sense of mobility and liberation when learning to ride a bike. With the support from local bike shops in the DC area, she was able to host a 100% free opportunity for other people with amputations to safely explore their interest in biking for exercise and mobility, in hopes of benefitting their physical and mental health. Cycling experts, prosthetists, physical therapists, and a few loving dogs were on standby to provide technique modifications, bike adjustments, and positive feedback as needed. 

Dankmeyer’s Rebecca (Becca) Frost, CP and Dawn Miranda, Prosthetist Assistant, attended the event. Becca is very active in a full range of adaptive sports, and Dawn was anxious to refine her cycling skills. Dawn joined twelve other persons with amputations and each was paired with an experienced cyclist, physical therapist, and prosthetist. Many learned to ride an upright bike for the first time! Others had the opportunity to try recumbent bikes when stand up bikes proved to be too challenging to ride without assistance. A few were experienced riders and were able to improve their riding with the expertise and innovation of local volunteers, while also providing their own valuable experience and technique to newer cyclists. 

This very successful first time event was managed on a beautiful Sunday, with a large, airy, outdoor meeting space, mask-wearing, and social distancing. People of all ages, abilities, experience levels, and amputation levels were brought together as a community of people with one common goal- MOBILITY FOR ALL!

• Rebecca Frost, CP
  

TEAM DANKMEYER for The Children's League September Walk/Talk

We are happy to say that TEAM DANKMEYER, almost 50 strong, participated in The Children’s League 18th annual fundraiser the last two weeks of September.

Last year,  Dankmeyer was proud to support The Children’s League Kid Walk/Kid Talk fundraising event in Cumberland, Maryland.  A team composed of Mark Treasure, CP, BOCO, Patient Representative Heather Iman and her family, Dawn Miranda Prosthetist Assistant, and two Cumberland area patients - Mr. Bill Ewing and Kaleb Mearkle, participated in the event.  Mr. Ewing and Kaleb are both beneficiaries of The Children’s League.

We did it again this year, except bigger and virtual!  As with many things COVID related, The Children’s League had to shift to a virtual event for 2020.  In some ways, this made it easier for more people outside of the Cumberland area to support The Children’s League.  

Bill Ewing on the trail.

We created TEAM DANKMEYER and invited Dankmeyer staff and patients to participate in this virtual effort over a two week period at the end of September. The League was interested in people getting out and about - so walking, running, hiking, biking - pretty much any physical activity was encouraged. Quite a few Dankmeyer staff attended a socially distanced organized walk together (yet apart!). Marlies Beerli Cabell, CPO, took the initiative to gather up a number of teammates - including her large family, friends and co-workers, at Rockburn Park on a beautiful fall September morning on the 19th. Another group in Cumberland got together,  including Bill Ewing, a long term Cumberland office patient, and visited some local scenic trails.

This was also Mark Treasure’s last community event as part of the Dankmeyer team. Mark’s last day before retirement from Dankmeyer after 40 years of service was September 25, 2020. We had hoped to make the Walk/Talk a part of his bigger celebration. Next year, when we participate even bigger and better, we think Mark will join us in this worthy cause.

Heather Iman, Cumberland Patient Services Coordinator (R) and daughter Kayla, with daughter Sarah taking the shot!

Art Ross, Dankmeyer Fabrication Technician, wears one of the masks on the walk he custom makes.

Mark Hopkins, CEO, CPO and family brought along their four-legged teammate.

Becca Frost, CP, who is following in Mark Treasure’s footsteps as the Cumberland clinician, decided to do something a little different at an indoor ski slope.

Dawn Miranda, Prosthetist Assistant, did a walk around the Baltimore office parking lot before settling at her desk Friday morning.

Linda and Mark Treasure wearing their Children’s League shirts with a timely wave.